Improvement in indexes



dif/Q' Witnesses UNTTEE STATES AlIL/ SITENT OEEIGE O. FLAGG BULLARD, OF MEDIA, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS OFV HIS RIGHT TO F. C. HOOTON, OF WEST CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA, AND J. R. HAYES,

oF NEW YORK CITY.

IMPROVEMENT IN INDEXES- Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 113,015, dated March 28, 1871.

I, O. FLAGG BULLARD, of the borough of Y Media, in the county of Delaware and State and complete to enable any one skilled in the manufacture of such work to comprehend and construct the same.

By this system of indexing all names are classiiied and arranged so that those whose initials of the ist as well as last names are the same are found together.

All names commencing with the initials A B, A C, B C, Sto., are also arranged in separate classifications. Thus, by using this plan there are made six hundred and seventy-six classifications, or twenty-six for each letter of the alphabet. v

The accompanying sheet of drawing represents my index-book in perspective, and the arrangement of the letter preceding the sightletter, as clearly set forth. Y

I make no claim to this classification, but merely describe it for the purpose of giving a clear description of the key or supplemental index to said classification, which is the subject of my invention.

This alphabetical key is arranged and constructed as follows, and is bound with the book containing the classications above referred to either preceding or following them: I so arrange the letters of the alphabet upon the right-hand margin of twenty-six leaves that by cutting away all but the letter A upon the rst leaf, all but the letters A and B on the second, all but A, B, and C on the third, &c., through the whole twenty-six letters and leaves, a person, upon opening the key at A, would have before him the twenty-six letters of the alphabet upon as many leaves. If the key now be opened at B, we still have in view the full alphabet, but now only requiring twenty-live leaves, for while opening at B we take away the letter A on the A-leaf, there is another letter A printed or written on the B-leaf, so that if the key be opened at C we still have in view the full alphabet.

The first leaf of the key has upon it but one letter-the letter A-the second leaf A and B, and so on' till finally the last leaf has the full alphabet.

The letter indicatingthe point at which the key is opened is used for surnames beginning with that letter, while the full alphabet in view is used for Christian naines, and the figures opposite the letters designate the page of the index where all names commencing with those initials are to be found. Thus, if the key is opened at A, then A is used as the initial of the surnames, and the full alphabet now in view, A included, as the initial of Christian names. If the key be opened at S, then S is used as the initial of the surnames, and the full alphabet now inpview, S included, as the initial of the Christian names, te.

Now, to find the naine Charles Agnew, open the key at the letter A, the initial of the surname, and opposite the letter C, the initial of the Christian name, the figure l is found.v "This represents the particular page in the index Where all names commencing with the initials C A are found.

To iiid the name Allen Chegneg, open the key at C, and opposite A the figure 3 is found, and by turning to the page in the index represented by this figure, we lind all names com mencing with the initials A C.

The figures in the key opposite the letters are not arbitrary, but can be arranged to suit any locality or business, changing as the space set apart for particular classifications change.

Upon the leaves of the key, and extending across both pages, are ruled horizontal and perpendicular lines, thus forming spaces for the purpose of placing the figures to represent the page of the index upon which all names commencing with the initials required are found.

The spaces contiguous to the letters are first Providing a key or supplemental index, oonsisting of the ordinary indexanargin7 each one with all the letters of the alphabet preceding the sight-letter, in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

O. FLAGG BULLARD.

Witnesses W. B. HUsToN, N. F. WALTER. 

